Angels win in extras, get first series sweep

April 21, 2013

Updated 1:17 p.m.

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The Angels' Mark Trumbo jumps on home plate as his teammates wait after he hit a walk off home run in the 13th inning against the Detroit Tigers in Anaheim on Sunday. The run gave the Angels a 4-3 win. PAUL BERSEBACH, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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The Angels' players and fans celebrate Mark Trumbo's walk off home run in the 13th inning against the Detroit Tigers in Anaheim on Sunday. The run gave the Angels a 4-3 win. PAUL BERSEBACH, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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The Angels' Mark Trumbo rounds the bases after he hit a walk off home run in the 13th inning against the Detroit Tigers in Anaheim on Sunday. The run gave the Angels a 4-3 win. PAUL BERSEBACH, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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The Angels' Mike Trout makes a diving catch in left field during their game with the Detroit Tigers in Anaheim on Sunday. The Angels won 4-3 in the 13 inning. PAUL BERSEBACH, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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The Angels' Peter Bourjos tries to break up a double play by the Tigers' Omar Infante during their game in Anaheim on Sunday. The Angels won 4-3 in the 13 inning. PAUL BERSEBACH, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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The Angels' Josh Hamilton makes a diving catch in right field during their game with the Detroit Tigers in Anaheim on Sunday. PAUL BERSEBACH, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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The Angels' Howie Kendrick makes a throw to first base during their game with the Detroit Tigers in Anaheim on Sunday. PAUL BERSEBACH, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Former Angel and current Detroit Tiger Torii Hunter prepares in the dugout before their game with the Angels in Anahiem on Sunday PAUL BERSEBACH, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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The Angels' Mark Trumbo hits a triple in the third inning during their game with the Detroit Tigers in Anaheim on Sunday. The hit brought in one run. The Angels won 4-3 in the 13 inning. PAUL BERSEBACH, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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The Angels' Mike Trout tries to beat the throw to first base during their game with the Detroit Tigers in Anaheim on Sunday. PAUL BERSEBACH, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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The Angels' Brendan Harris tries to break up a double play by the Tigers' Jhonny Peralta during their game in Anaheim on Sunday. The Angels won 4-3 in the 13 inning. PAUL BERSEBACH, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Angels' starting pitcher C.J. Wilson waits for the Detroit Tigers' Prince Feilder to round the bases after Feilder hit a two-run home run in the fifth inning in Anaheim on Sunday. The Angels won 4-3 in the 13 inning. PAUL BERSEBACH, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Angels' starting pitcher C.J. Wilson throws during their game with the Detroit Tigers in Anaheim on Sunday. The Angels won 4-3 in the 13 inning. PAUL BERSEBACH, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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The Angels' Albert Pujols watches his two-run double in the third inning during their game with the Detroit Tigers in Anaheim on Sunday. The Angels won 4-3 in the 13 inning. PAUL BERSEBACH, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

The Angels' Mark Trumbo jumps on home plate as his teammates wait after he hit a walk off home run in the 13th inning against the Detroit Tigers in Anaheim on Sunday. The run gave the Angels a 4-3 win.PAUL BERSEBACH, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

ANAHEIM – As Mark Trumbo approached the plate to lead off the bottom of Sunday's 13th inning, two Angels long removed from the action noticed a telling statistic on the scoreboard.

In four career plate appearances against Detroit left-hander Phil Coke, C.J. Wilson read off the Angel Stadium big screen, Trumbo had reached base all four times, with three hits – but no homers.

And so Wilson slyly said to infielder Brendan Harris, as his voice trailed off: "Could that mean...?"

Yes, yes it could. Trumbo worked the count to 3-1 off Coke and then smashed an over-the-plate changeup deep into the bullpen past the left-field fence, single-handedly giving the Angels the 4-3 extra-innings win and the series sweep over the vaunted Tigers.

Suddenly, with five straight home wins and the AL West-leading Texas Rangers in town beginning Monday, the Angels (7-10) don't seem so slow-starting anymore.

"Three wins against a team of this caliber is an excellent sign," Trumbo said. "You have to think that this is closer to what our actual team is."

Trumbo said he was "semi-aware" of his past success off Coke as he walked to the plate. He was well aware, though, that Coke's changeup had already got him four of six outs on the day, and when he got deep into the count he knew exactly what to expect.

Before the home run, the Angels were scoreless for nine consecutive innings, all three of their runs coming in the third, two on an Albert Pujols double.

Wilson, the game's starter, earned a no-decision for allowing three runs in six innings. Harris and streaking outfielder Mike Trout recorded multi-hit games.

Right-hander Jerome Williams (1-0) got the win with three innings of scoreless relief.

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